Improvement in clothes-tongs



J. W. THOMAS.

Clothes-Tongs.

No. 219,999. Patented Sept. 23,1879.-

INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES JOHN THOMAS, OF TYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOTH ES-TONGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,999, dated September 23, 1879; application filed March 13, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. THOMAS, of Tyrone, in thecounty of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates-to clothes-tongs, and is designed to provide a simple and effective means to handle clothes when in hot water, so that the same may not scald the hand.

The improvement consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the same when the movable jaw is in open position.

The fixed jaw A-is provided with a handle, B, rigidly secured thereto, said handle being of any suitable length, either longer or shorter, as may be desired for the purpose in view. It may or may not be provided at its free extremity with a hook formation, 1), as shown in the drawings; but preferably I form said hook, the same being useful in stirring or in separating the clothes as the latter are in the boiler or other vessel containing hot suds.

A right-angular extension, at, is formed on the rear portion of the fixed jaw, and provides support for the spring which presses the lever so as to close the hinged jaw. It also provides support-for the hinge which connects the movable jaw to the fixed jaw, and its surface is fiush with said hinged jaw when the latter is in normal position.

The movable jaw C may be connected to the fixed jaw in any suitable manner adapted to permit of the pivotal movement of the same, so as to duly operate in conjunction with the fixed jaw. My preferable construction, however, is to hinge the movable jaw, as illustrated herein.

A lever, D, of any suitable dimension, but preferably of shorter length than the handle B, is connected to the movable jaw, the same being adapted for use in opening said jaw, as

occasion may require in grappling and. disengaging the clothes with the tongs. This lever is made independent of the movable jaw, and is secured thereto by means of the socket-plate'c, which is fastened to the latter. This movable jaw may be maintained closed by any suitable spring device; but preferably I employ a spring bent in form of the device E, and having a projecting loop, within which latter a portion of the longitudinal body of the lever fits.

Other forms of spring for closing the movable jaw may be employed, as, for instance, an

ordinary coil-spring may be seated on the rear portion of the fixed jaw in direct line with the lever; or an elliptic spring may be used; or the spring shown in the drawings may be reversed in position, so that the loop portion may project forward, and engage with the lever nearer its connection with the movable The jaws are made in concave or recessed form, and have their clamping edges provided with beads, serrations, corrugations, or other form of projections which make a frictional working surface, so as to enable them to engage with the clothes in a sufficiently secure manner. These clampingedges of the jaws may be formed of zinc or material other than that of the jaws.

Instead of a spring-bearing for the lever, a rigid device may be employed; and, if desired, the hinge may be made in form adapted to serve as such.

Havingfully described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with a handle provided with a curved jaw, of a curved jaw hinged at the upper face of its rear end to a portion of the handle which projects above the fixed jaw, a handle secured to the upper face of the hinged jaw, and a spring interposed between the fixed and movable handle, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of March, 187 9. v

JOHN W. THOMAS. Witnesses:

J. D. Hroxs, (l. R. BURLEY. 

